Container



Jan. 19, 1926. 1,570,572

F. E, LOWENSTEIN CONTAINER Filed June 30 1925 r---.-II:-------- IN VEN TOR.

4 WI Zflone 12.

Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

FRANK n; rownnsrnrn, or ATLANTA, snoneni;

. CONTAINER.

Application filed June 30, 1925. Serial No. 40,693.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, FRANK E. LownN- STEIN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing. at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Containers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is directed to a convertible container, which following its primary use, may be readily and conveniently adapted for a secondary use. More specifically, the construction provides a candy or like container, adapted in'its original package condition to be sealed in anair tight manner through the medium of a friction top plug or closure, the latter being formed so that following the removal of the candy or other material from the container, the plug may be again pressed into closing position and serve as a toy savings bank.

The invention is particularly concerned with the formation of the plug, which aside from its usual structure as a friction sealing plug, is constructed in its bottom with a narrow slot outline formed by dividing the material on three sides of such slot outline and perforating or scoring it on the fourth side. The bottom or under side of the plug throughout and beyond the slot outline area is provided with. a label or other readily frangible material adhesively secured in place and serving to close and effectively seal the incisions or perforations in the top which define the slot outline. Thus the plug for effective purposes when the original or other material is contained in the container acts as a complete sealing air tight closure, and following the removal of the material from the container, the plug material within the formed slot outline may be readily displaced and the frangible seal broken through or removed, so that a coin slot is formed in the top plug serving when the latter is replaced in the container to provide a convenient simple toy savings bank.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Fig. l is a perspective view of a container with the improved top plug in position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of the friction top plug, viewed from the upper side.

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken from the lower side.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the top plug with the material within the slot outline turned back to permit the use of the top plug with the container to provide a toy savings bank.

The invention asshown comprises a container 1, which may be constructel in any desired shape and size, and while preferably of metal, any appropriate material may be used. The container in the present specific embodiment is designed to receive candy or the like, which from its nature requires an air tight sealing after packing and until delivered to the customer. For this purpose, the top of the container is formed with the usualopening 2, which receives a closure 3, in the form of a friction topplug, the detailed construction and arrangement of which is well understood in the art. The sealing is effected by forcing the plug into position, which incident to its wedging cooperation with the wall of the opening in the container insures an effective sealing at the edges of said opening.

For the purposes of the present invention, this plug is formed in its bottom wall with the outline of a coin slot. This is indicated as a narrow elongated slot 4: outlined by cutting the material of the bottom of the friction top entirely through such material on one longitudinal edge as 5 and the end edges as 6. Throughout the remaining longitudinal edge 7 the material is simply perforated or scored to avoid entirely separating the slot closure from the friction top plug. In the use of the top plug as a closure for the container as an original package, the opening formed in the bottom of the top plug by the slot formation described is sealed by the application of water-proof material to the bottom surface of the top plug, or as indicated in the drawings, by the application of a label or other adhesive closure to such top plug bottom. Thus for all effective sealing purposes, the bottom of the top plug is unbroken, and when applied to the container in its original or subsequent use as a candy or material container, the contents will be effective- 1y sealed by the plug. hen the container is no longer desired for use as such, the sealing label or material may be removed or broken through, and the material of the plug bottom within the defined outline turned back on the perforated edge 7, thereby defining a coin slot in the top plug, which following the forcing of said plug to its seat in the container in the usual manner permits said container to serve as a toy savings bank.

The invention is primarily designed to provide ameans for the continued use of containers, particularly for candy, after the candy has been exhausted, and to permit this additional use through a simple and inexpensive expedient as described. Thus the container from which the candy or other material has been exhausted may be readily and conveniently converted by any one to serve as a toy savings bank for the convenient reception of coins or the like. It is understood of course that the slot formed in the friction top plug will preferably be of a size to receive the largest coin ordinarily used.

It will of course be appreciated that the movable tongue may be formed in the bottom of the container rather than in the plug, the sealing of the tongue when formed in the bottom being similar to that in connection with the plug.

I claim:

The combination with a container formed with a delivery opening and a friction cap to seal said opening and capable of removal and replacement for delivery of the contents of the container as desired, of means whereby the cap may be utilized without removal from the container to permit the introduction into the container of coins or the like, said means consisting in dividing the bottom of the cap on three angular-1y related lines to form .a section divided from the cap on three edges with the fourth edge forming a hinge for such section, and a flexible sealing strip to be secured to the bottom of the cap to overlie and seal the lines of division while the section is in the plane of the bottom, said sealing strip being broken on depression of such section to provide an opening in the bottom of the cap.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK E. LOWENSTEIN. 

